Heater



May 31, 193s. A. A. DUNCAN 2,119,008

HEATER Filed Oct. lO, 1935 ATTO RN EY Patented May 31, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to heaters, and more especially it relates to apparatus for concurrently heating plurality of flat, metal plates or discs.

The invention is of primary utility for heating the flat separator plates of fat or oil extracting presses used in the practice of the invention constituting the subject matter of my copending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 44,083 filed December 9, 1935. It can be used, however, in other situations Where it is desired to heat a plurality of metal discs to a moderate temperature not exceeding 500 F.

The chief objects cf the invention are concurrently to heat a plurality of metal plates or discs to uniform temperature; to provide simple and inexpensive apparatus for heating the discs; to provide conveniently for the placing of the discs in the heater, and for removing them therefrom; and to provide for the removal from the heater of any drippings from the discs. Other objects will be manifest.

Of the accompanying drawing,

Figure l. is a vertical section through a heater embodying the invention, said section being taken 'on the line I--I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a vertical section through a heater constituting another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, I is a sheet metal housing having a door II at the front thereof, which door is hinged at its upper margin so as to open back upon the top of the housing. The top, sides, and door of the housing are covered with insulating material, such as asbestos, to prevent radiation of heat therefrom. The bottom of the housing consists of a plurality of parallel bars I2, I2 that are laterally spaced apart and extend. transversely of the housing, said bars being welded in place. The housing is seated upon a pair of brackets I3, I3 that elevate it from the licor, and a suitable heating device, such as the gasoline furnace I4, is positioned beneath the housing. A protective apron I5 secured to the brackets i3 enclose the furnace I4 on four sides to protect it from drafts, said apron being spaced about three inches from the floor to admit air to the furnace, and being hinged at the front of the structure, as shown at I6, to give access to the furnace III.

Mounted interiorly of the housing is a partition structure defining a plurality of vertically disposed slots adapted to receive respective plates or discs to be heated, said slots being substantially wider than the discs. The partition structure comprises a plurality of units I1, Il, of which each unit consists of four metal strips welded together in the same plane substantially in the form of a hollow square, asV most clearly shown in Figure l, the vertical strip at the front of the unit being inset from the ends of the upper and lower horizontal strips of the unit. The several units are assembled in spaced relation to each other by means of three tie rods I8, I8, there being spacer sleeves I9, I9 on said rods between each unit of the structure. There is no tie rod at the lower front corner of the partition structure so that insertion and removal of the metal discs or plates therefrom is not impeded. The discs are shown at 20, 20 in the drawing.

When the discs are mounted in the housing, the door closed, and the furnace I4 put in operation., the discs are heated to the desired temperature in relatively short time. The slotted bottom of the housing permits heat to enter and permits any drippings from the discs to drain therethrough. The open construction of the separator units I1 permits heat to circulate freely through them and about the discs so that substantially uniform heating is obtained throughout the heusing, and the inset arrangement of the front of the separator units facilitates the mounting and removal of the discs.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 3 of the drawing is especially adapted for the heating of separator plates or discs that are used in presses that extract edible oils or fats from oil or fat bearing material. It comprises a housing 25 and door 26 that are similar to those previously described, and is mounted upon similar supporting brackets 21', 21. In the bottom of the housing is a perforated floor 28, and beneath the latter is a slidably mounted drip pan 29 that is withdrawable at the front of the housing. Mounted interiorly of the housing and resting upon the floor 28 is a partition structure comprising a plurality of partition units 30, 30 that are assembled in spaced relation by means of tie rods and spacer sleeves in the manner previously described. The partition units 30 are similar to the partition units I1 of the previously described embodiment except that both front and rear vertical strips are inset from the ends of the horizontal strips thereof. The construction is such that space is provided along the rear wall of the housing for the mounting of a plurality of electrical heating elements 3l, which elements also are mounted upon the lateral Walls of the housing as shown. One plate or disc to be heated is shown at 20.

In this embodiment of the invention the disc is heated by means of the electrical elements 3l, and there are no fumes, such as are present in heaters employing oil or gasoline operated furnaces, to contaminate the disc. This feature is especially advantageousI When the discs ZE! are being used in the production of edible fats or oils, since there are no fumes from the heater to be transferred to the products and by-products. This embodiment of the invention also provides for the recovery of any material adhering to the discs 2U, which material melts and drips therefrom when heated.

Modication may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a heater of the character described, the combination of a closable housing having a door at the front thereof, a partition structure therein dening a plurality of vertical slots each substantially Wider than the article to be received therein, said partition structure comprising a plurality of metal plates xedly secured to each other in parallel spaced relation at three of their corners, each plate having a relatively large central opening therethrough, said housing comprising an elevated oor consisting of laterally spaced bars disposed transversely of said partition plates, said floor constituting the sole support for the partition plates and the articles therebetween, and a heating furnace beneath said floor.

2. In a heater of the character described, the

combination of a closable housing having a door at the front thereof, a partition structure therein dening a plurality of vertical slots each Wider than the article to be heated therein, said partition structure comprising a plurality of metal plates secured solely to each other in parallel spaced relation, each plate having a relatively large central opening therethrough and having a portion at the top thereof that extends from front to rear of the housing against which an article may lean While being placed in the housing, said housing having a perforate floor constituting the sole support for the partition structure and articles to be heated, and means for heating the interior of the housing.

3. In a heater of the character described, the combination of a closable housing having a door at the front thereof, a partition structure therein defining a plurality of vertical slots each wider than the article to be heated therein, said partition structure comprising a plurality of metal plates secured solely to each other in parallel spaced relation, each plate having a relatively large central opening therethrough and having a portion at the top thereof that extends from front to rear oi the housing against which an article may lean While being placed in the housing, said housing having an elevated perforate floor constituting the sole support for the partition structure and articles to be heated, and electrical heating elements arranged about the walls of the housing interiorly thereof.

4. A combination as dened in claim 3 including a slidably mounted drip pan below the perforate floor.

ARCHIBALD A. DUNCAN. 

